Windows accessibility

Find out how Windows accessibility features help you do more

Windows 10

Windows 8

Windows 7

Vision

Make your device easier to see or use without a screen.

Use your device without a screen

Narrator

Narrator describes Windows and apps and enables you to interact with them without viewing a screen. Narrator supports 27 languages,
with updated features like intelligent image description and simplified navigation.

Cursor and pointer size

Delegate digitally

Cortana

Cortana is your digital assistant. She'll help you get things done, such as setting reminders, opening apps, finding facts, and sending emails and texts. The more you use Cortana, the more personalized your experience will be.

Animations, backgrounds, and transparency

Keep alerts up longer

Notification timing

In Windows, notifications disappear five seconds after they appear. This might not be enough time for you to notice them if you have difficulty seeing or hearing. You can increase the time a notification will be displayed up to five minutes.

See how Windows is empowering Sadam to achieve more.

Windows 10: Sadam's Story

Hearing

Make your device easier to hear or use with these visual alternatives to sound.

Break the sound barrier

Skype Translator

Instantly transcribes voice to text so you won’t miss what’s being said. You can even type a response and have it read to someone that can’t see your response. Skype Translator uses machine learning, so the more you use it, the better it gets.

See every gesture

Skype video calling

A great way for people who use sign language to communicate one-on-one or in group video calls. Skype is available on a variety of platforms and devices, so you don’t have to worry about whether your co-workers, friends and family can communicate with you.

Keep alerts up longer

Notification timing

In Windows, notifications disappear five seconds after they appear. This might not be enough time for you to notice them if you have difficulty seeing or hearing. You can increase the time a notification will be displayed up to five minutes.

Read and enjoy

Closed captioning

Closed captions let you read the words that are spoken in movies or television shows. With Windows, you can customize things like color, size, and background transparency to suit your needs and tastes.

Hear it all in both ears

Mono Audio [New in the Creators Update]

By default, most stereo audio experiences send some sounds to the right channel or speaker and some sounds to the left channel. Windows supports mono audio, so that you can send all sounds to both channels, so you don’t miss any if you have partial hearing loss or deafness in one ear.

See how Skype Translator empowers people with hearing loss

Skype Translator Empowering People with Hearing Loss

Physical

Make your device easier to use if have limited reach or strength.

Delegate digitally

Cortana

Cortana is your digital assistant. She'll help you get things done, such as setting reminders, opening apps, finding facts, and sending emails and texts. The more you use Cortana, the more personalized your experience will be.

Choose the right words

Word prediction

The On-Screen Keyboard (OSK) in Windows helps you author text with word completion and word prediction. Not only does this help save time if you have mobility limitations, it can also help choose the best next word if you have a learning disability or cognitive impairment.

Info at a glance

Live Tiles

Live Tiles in Windows 10 display information that is useful at a glance without opening an app. For example, the News tile displays headlines and the Weather tile displays the forecast. You can rearrange, resize, and move these tiles to make them work best for you.

Edge Reading View

Reading-friendly fonts

Fluent Fonts

Some fonts have been proven to make it easier to read. Fluent Sitka Small and Fluent Calibri are fonts that add character and enhance word and line spacing. They address “visual crowding.” Give them a try.

Choose the right words

Word prediction

The On-Screen Keyboard (OSK) in Windows helps you author text with word prediction and completion. Not only does this help save time if you have mobility impairments, it can also help choose the best next word if you have a learning difference or cognitive impairment.

Improve your reading

Learning tools in Microsoft Edge

The Microsoft Edge browser includes options to increase text spacing and read text aloud in ePubs, to help make it easier for everyone to read and enjoy text including people with learning differences. Read aloud is also supported for PDFs.

Keyboard combinations of two or more keys that, when pressed, can be used to perform a task that would typically require a mouse or other pointing device. Keyboard shortcuts can make it easier to interact with your computer, saving you time and effort.

Instead of having to press three keys at once (such as when you must press the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys simultaneously to log on to Windows), you can press one key at a time when Sticky Keys is turned on.

Provides a centralized location in the Control Panel where you can adjust accessibility settings and programs. You can also get recommendations for settings to make your PC easier to see, hear, and use.

Keyboard combinations of two or more keys that, when pressed, can be used to perform a task that would typically require a mouse or other pointing device. Keyboard shortcuts can make it easier to interact with your computer, saving you time and effort.

Instead of having to press three keys at once (such as when you must press the CTRL, ALT, and DELETE keys simultaneously to log on to Windows), you can press one key at a time when Sticky Keys is turned on.